Brighton and Wirksworth

3^rd and 4^th September – Brighton and Sussex University/Shoreham and Lancing

There is no way of avoiding the M25 for us to get to Brighton. It is a good thing that motorist are not charged for parking on the M25. In fact, motorists should be compensated for hair loss.

Pease Pottage was a good stop on the M23.


Joe and Julia greeted us on our arrival.

Julia and Joe

Joe’s room was efficiently transferred to the car. We scraped in to get a coffee at Sussex University.

University of Sussex Coffee Cup

Sussex University Chaplaincy

Thank goodness for the toilets on Falmer station.

Falmer Station

Irene Discovering the Height of a Rugby Goal Cross Bar

 Thanks to Julia we found free parking not too far from Brighton centre. A bus ride took us in to the town where we were directed to an excellent vegan/vegetarian pub. These establishments were easier to find in Brighton than Nottingham. Back to the car and on to our Travelodge, Gatwick hotel room. We have no complaints about the room. The one that we were in had very sophisticated electrics, an elegant bathroom and well designed fittings. We would query not being told that the car park charge was £7.50.

In the morning we made our MacDonalds stop for a cheap, filling breakfast. (More promotions.) We had a morning to spend and so we headed for Shoreham from where we walked along the pebble beach to Lancing.

Beach Huts at Shoreham

Beach Panorama

Kite Fliers

Kite Surfing

 Unfortunately it stayed grey, but we were fascinated by the large number of kite surfers filling the sky and the sea. More unfortunately, the rain began to fall as we reached Lancing and our futile search for a fish and chip shop resulted in a soak through to the skin. However, we had a good baked potato meal in town centre pub. We were about dry by the time that we arrived back in the car before driving back to Brighton, collect Joe and make the homeward journey.

5^th September – The Visit of Tim and the Girls

We arrived home to find that Tim had a free day. Following a phone call, it was arranged that he and the girls visited us on Monday. It was a good day. Iona and Izzy enjoyed picking sweet corn and using the inner leaves to make corn thingies.

Izzie and Iona at Work

Corn Thingies

Joe and a Thingy

We also had a good time on the railway layout. One of my houses has a tree monster being removed by Dr. Who. I also have ET flying over the viaduct on a bicycle. I particularly like the scene of a trolley and contents falling off the platform while two men have a punch up. I am glad that Joe was able to spend to time with his brother and his nieces.


14^th September – Wirksworth

Wirksworth is not too far, as our journeys go. To our loss we ignored the short cut, avoiding, Cromford. We also missed the direction into the car park. Car parking would have been expensive had it not been for the out of order sign stuck on the meter. (I still wonder if the meter was really out of order.) An additional blessing was the adjoining tea shoppe. It boasted homemade, organic etc., but at my insistence we went in to find a ‘quaint’ tea shop with a sole owner who served us with a large porcelain tea pot for two and two enormous slabs of homemade cake. Irene doggy-bagged half of hers for later. What would these delight cost? We could not believe the mind-boggling bill of £3.00.

The path from here was easily found.

Ecclesborne Railway

After crossing the railway (Ecclesbourne Valley Railway - http://www.e-v-r.com/) the path was very steep and lengthy, but the views were awe inspiring.

The Path Started Smoothly

Half Way Up

The Mast at the Top

There was a down hill scramble to the ‘Black Rocks’.

Black Rocks

We had previously visited this area on a snowy winter’s day, but the rocks were too dangerous then. Soon we recognised the path from that previous visit. Here there was a car park, mock wooden benches for a picnic and toilets for the usual.

Cemetery

Foolishly I predicted better time as we were to follow the old track bed, over the road and the beautifully laid out cemetery.

Starting up the Incline

Bridge on the Incline

 I had not anticipated the incline. We came across a piece of ancient technology designed to assist locomotives make the ascent to Middleton Top. We watched a small diesel tractor race its way up a slope which for the massive powerful engines of an earlier age was too much. It was almost too much for us as we trod boldly on and up in the belief that we would get there.

Marking the Top of the Incline

At Middleton Top was the winding engine for the continuous loop of chain to which engines would be attached for the upwards haul.

The Winding Engine

At this point the map and directions failed causing a detour and I am sure that after the amazing walk across a desolate feeling quarry we went the wrong way through the pedestrian tunnel causing us to use our own sense of direction to return to the car.

The Quarry

Tunnel out of the Quarry

 The journey was worth the effort. Wirksworth is itself worth a visit as it is a charming old town with quaint sloped alleys and its coaching inn on the road to London.


On the way home we slightly held up. We turned off the A6 to see before us a huge Poundland articulated lorry across the road. The driver was determined to make a turn in the road despite the long tail backs he was creating. The problem was magnified by road work just passed him. Cars coming towards us were stacked up in the single lane making it impossible to clear the road in either direction. It is a good thing that I am the epitome of a patient motorist. (Comments not welcome)